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Thursday, 22 June 2017

Are you an ATC fan?

I most certainly am, and I trade with other artists as often as possible. When I had the opportunity to trade with one of my all-time favourite artists, Deann Williams of The Whimsey Asylum, I was practically over the moon.

Not only did she send me 10 ATCs, she also sent this gorgeous hand-crafted card and a lovely note as well. Since Deann no longer creates anything but digital work, I feel very fortunate to have received such a cornucopia of physical pieces.

This ATC, 'A Kiss to Build a Dream On' is truly the image that I most equate with Deann. It always makes me laugh.

'Highway in the Sky' has my mind wandering over the heavens as I accompany the butterfly on that delightful zebra.

I can't stop laughing at 'Mona and the Fly', and given that this is not the only 'Mona' she's done, I think you should check the rest of them out too.

The soulful 'Angel Eyes' has a little bit of Win Dinn in the background...I love seeing my photos appear in Deann's work.

'Snow Papa' is particularly apt given the package's arrival so close to Father's Day. This was the last hand-painted ATC that Deann had from her pre-digital days, so I feel fortunate to be the recipient!

'Sky Music' thrills me with the thought of celestial delights...can you imagine what music would come from that instrument?!

'Breaking Out' reminds me of my son Barry as a child...always trying to get out of the box and into something different!

'Uncle Steven's Fantastic Flying Machine' is like nothing I could imagine - which is exactly why The Whimsey Asylum gives me such pleasure!

My favourite, 'Contemplating Bubbles' has my dryer sheet curtains in the background, and the ethereal quality of the girl child is pure delight.

For sheer visual pleasure, I recommend you stop to visit The Whimsey Asylum. I never know whether I'll be roaring with laughter or be blown away by exquisite beauty, but it's always amazing.

On another note, I managed to attend a fabulously fun workshop with Lynne Mizera at Fly in the Fibre this past week, and had a lovely afternoon creating a couple of small paintings, both of which were started on canvas boards covered with mop-up paper towels. Lynne's a whiz at using unconventional materials of all sorts, and much fun.

Because we were such hard workers, we had time to create some spray backgrounds as well...I'll let you know what happens with these!

I also managed to start the free online Women Unleashed Retreat. It's not too late to start, so do pop over and have a go. You can do as much or as little of it (and there's a huge variety covered in the 10 days), and if all I manage is the journal start, I'll be happy.

Front Cover of 'Palimpsest' journal for Women Unleashed Retreat

Back cover of Palimpsest journal for Women Unleashed Retreat

The ten days of doodling over the last couple of weeks came in handy for this cover, and now I'm totally obsessed with patterns again.

And just in case you've not had enough visuals in today's post, do stop in to see the Material Change show in Kimberley, BC. It features Darcy Wanuk, Alison & Bart Bjorkman of Puffin Design, and yours truly in an amazing collection of repurposing, recycling and reinvention of the art concept.

Here's hoping you've had a terrifically creative week too. Let me know what you've been up to in the comments below please, and do provide a link to your own doings. We all know how to copy and paste.

Dear Winn I am so honored at this tribute especially when I know how many other wonderful things you have to post. I am just glad you finally got my letter, I had to laugh at your Mailman comment because I actually envisioned one poor Mailman on a one dog, dogsled delivering all of British Columbia. Actually I think they held on to my strange lumpy envelope at the customs office for several weeks just to make sure it didn't explode.Anyway all's well that ends well and now I have your beautiful backgrounds to work with they are gorgeous.Carry on your artistic wonderfulness my friend you make the world a better place.

Even knowing how slooooooooooooow Canada Post can be, I'd no idea it could take that amount of time to arrive, Deann. Of all the pieces I'd want to ensure would NOT go missing, it would have been your parcel. I knew it would be explosive, too, but Canada Post should have had no idea!!

Oh Win what a wonderful feast for the eyes and inspiration fir the soul. Cornucopia is absolutely the right word for the amazing gift from Deann. Thanks so much for sharing your abundance with us. Can't wait to see what you do with those canvasses 😁

I'm in such a frenzy of creativity right now, Lynne - it's a rush to be playing in the studio, with friends and in workshops again. While I've no idea what will happen with those two backgrounds, it's going to be great fun, I know!

What beautiful mini artworks you received, Win! I'm always amazed by how much some people are able to cram on to such a small canvas. Those spray backgrounds are yummy, too. Can't wait to see what you do with them.

I certainly agree on the former, Susi and appreciate the compliment on the latter. As far as the days being too short I have to say a resounding YES. Curious how there's never enough time for house cleaning or cooking or gardening.....and definitely not artwork! ;-)

Hi Win, the ATCs that you received are fabulous. Your art from the workshops is beautiful, love the texture from the paper towels at first glance I thought it was tissue paper crumbled and adhered with a gel medium. Thanks for your kind words at my blog. Cheers, Shirleyxx

Palimpsest makes use of all those tangled drawings on black paper I've been making over the last couple of weeks, glued to the back of a black-background journal. The front layers start with a photo of a stunning painting by Susan Seddon-Boulet - http://www.turningpointgallery.com/bio.asp - (entitled Palimpsest). On the bottom right is a monoprint stencil I created of my niece Shaina from a photo when she was acting in a Shakespearean play;the circles spiraling into the main painting are the surroundings from the same print. All adhered with gloss medium, of course. Did I miss anything? :D xo